Tag

Groundwater

All articles tagged with #groundwater

environment12 days ago•0 min saved

New Satellite Analysis Reveals Groundwater Depletion Is 45% Worse Than Previously Estimated

A new study using high-resolution data from NASA's GRACE and GRACE-FO satellites reveals that global freshwater losses are significantly worse than previously thought. By analyzing data from 2002 to 2025, researchers identified 40 critical regions where human activity, particularly groundwater pumping for agriculture, is driving severe depletion. The study finds that earlier estimates of water loss were, on average, 45% lower than the new findings, highlighting a hidden crisis in water-stressed areas like the Middle East, northern Africa, and the western United States.

via Gizmodo|

#climate-change #environment #grace-fo

environment4 months ago•9 min saved

Most of Earth's freshwater is locked in Antarctic ice, leaving only a sliver readily accessible

More than two-thirds of Earth's freshwater is frozen in ice caps and glaciers, with Antarctica alone holding about 70% of all fresh water (roughly 28–30 million cubic km). While the global stock is vast, the portion that is easily usable is tiny—about 1% of total freshwater—leaving the majority of water either locked in ice or buried too deep for practical extraction. Groundwater accounts for roughly 30% of freshwater, but much of it is not readily pumpable; the upshot is that water security depends on access and distribution, not total supply.

via Space Daily|

#antarctica #distribution #environment

science5 months ago•3 min saved

Spiderwebbed Mars rocks hint groundwater lingered longer, fueling life-hunt hopes

NASA’s Curiosity rover captured high-detail views of boxwork—spiderweb-like mineral ridges—in Gale Crater’s Mount Sharp. The structures formed as groundwater moved through rock fractures, depositing minerals that hardened into ridges while surrounding material eroded away. Their presence implies liquid water persisted on Mars longer than previously thought, keeping the door open to past habitability and guiding future searches for ancient life.

via BBC Sky at Night Magazine|

#ancient-life #boxwork #curiosity-rover

science5 months ago•4 min saved

Radar Eyes on a Sinking City: NISAR Maps Mexico City's Rapid Subsidence

NASA's NISAR radar mission maps Mexico City's ongoing subsidence, showing areas sinking more than 2 cm per month in what is among the fastest rates globally, including near the main airport. The sinking stems from decades of groundwater pumping from an ancient lake bed, causing soil compaction and stress on streets, pipes and monuments like the Angel of Independence. With the water table dropping about 40 cm per year and roughly 40% of water lost to leaks, stopping subsidence would require halting groundwater extraction, a difficult trade-off given the city’s water needs. NISAR’s real-time data offers crucial insight for planning and climate-water risk in a sprawling metropolis.

via The Guardian|

#groundwater #mexico-city #nisar

science5 months ago•5 min saved

Space-Based View Confirms Mexico City's Rapid Sinking

NASA’s NISAR satellite, using data from Oct 2025–Jan 2026, shows Mexico City sinking at about 24 cm per year (with hotspots like the airport and Angel of Independence), driven by groundwater pumping on an ancient lake bed and threatening subway, drainage, and historic monuments; the findings provide a powerful, global example of subsidence and a basis for mitigation and alert systems.

via ScienceAlert|

#groundwater #mexico-city #nasa

science5 months ago•4 min saved

NASA satellite data reveal Mexico City's rapid subsidence near 10 inches annually

Mexico City is sinking about 9.5 inches per year, per NASA's NISAR data from Oct 2025 to Jan 2026, making it among the fastest-subsiding cities. The subsidence, driven by groundwater pumping and a lake-bed foundation, threatens the subway, drainage, water supply, and housing, with some areas down hundreds of feet over time. Scientists plan building-level maps to guide mitigation.

via New York Post|

#groundwater #mexico-city #nasa

world5 months ago•15 min saved

Mexico City’s rapid subsidence: nearly 10 inches a year, visible from space

Satellite data show Mexico City is subsiding at about 9–10 inches per year due to soft lake-bed soils and heavy groundwater pumping, a rapid rise in infrastructure risk that can be observed from space.

via AP News|

#geophysics #groundwater #mexico-city

science5 months ago•4 min saved

NISAR Space Radar Reveals Mexico City's Ongoing Ground Subsidence

New data from NASA-ISRO's NISAR radar show parts of the Mexico City region sinking by a few centimeters per month (Oct 2025–Jan 2026) due to long-running groundwater pumping and compaction of an ancient lakebed; the subsidence has damaged infrastructure and landmarks, and NISAR’s all-weather, dual-band radar enables persistent monitoring of land motion in densely populated or vegetated regions.

via NASA (.gov)|

#groundwater #land-subsidence #mexico-city-subsidence

science6 months ago•5 min saved

Massive Hidden Freshwater Layer Detected Beneath Great Salt Lake

Scientists using an airborne electromagnetic survey have identified a continuous freshwater reservoir beneath Utah’s Great Salt Lake, spanning from about 100 meters (330 feet) down to 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) deep and potentially as large as the lake itself. The freshwater likely originates from mountain snowmelt and is trapped by impermeable rock layers, with some spots approaching the surface where reeds grow. While it could help damp dust and inform water management, researchers emphasize more widespread surveying is needed before considering extraction.

via The Daily Galaxy|

#airborne-electromagnetic-survey #freshwater #great-salt-lake

science6 months ago•4 min saved

Massive Underground Aquifer Discovered Under the Cascade Range

Scientists using heat-flow data uncovered a continental-scale underground aquifer beneath the Oregon Cascades containing at least 19.4 cubic miles (81 cubic kilometers) of water—over twice the volume of Lake Mead—potentially the largest volcanic aquifer of its kind. The reservoir, inferred from stable deep-rock temperatures rather than drilling, suggests extensive groundwater circulation within the volcanic system and could influence future groundwater storage and the behavior of volcanic activity in the 700-mile Cascade Range. Similar aquifers north of the Columbia Gorge and near Mount Shasta imply the entire range may host this massive subterranean water system, with implications for eruption dynamics if water interacts with magma.

via The Daily Galaxy|

#cascade-range #geology #groundwater

environment6 months ago•4 min saved

EPA proposes looser coal-ash rules, sparking groundwater concerns

The EPA proposed weakening cleanup rules for coal ash disposal, including easing groundwater monitoring, allowing exemptions to national standards, and expanding the reuse of coal ash, moves critics say could leave toxins like mercury and lead in groundwater. The plan would roll back some Biden-era protections that required site-wide cleanup and stricter controls, prompting opposition from environmental groups despite industry calls for flexible, site-specific approaches and potential cost savings.

via PBS|

#coal-ash #environment #environmental-policy

space6 months ago•4 min saved

Martian Spiderweb Clues Point to Longer-Lived Subsurface Water

NASA’s Curiosity rover captures close-up views of boxwork rock formations on Mount Sharp, revealing groundwater moved through Martian bedrock to form mineralized ridges and nodules, suggesting water persisted beneath the surface longer and through multiple climate phases, which informs Mars’ past habitability.

via The Daily Galaxy|

#boxwork #curiosity-rover #groundwater

planet-earth6 months ago•69 min saved

Massive freshwater layer found beneath Great Salt Lake could reshape Utah's water future

Scientists using airborne electromagnetic surveys found a deep layer of fresh water beneath the eastern margin of Utah's Great Salt Lake, ranging from about 100 meters to 2.5 miles deep. The water likely originates from surrounding mountains and is trapped by underlying rock, suggesting a potentially vast reservoir that could help damp toxic dust from exposed lake beds and provide irrigation water, though expansion of the survey is needed to determine full extent.

via Live Science|

#airborne-geophysics #freshwater-reservoir #great-salt-lake

science6 months ago•37 min saved

Hidden Freshwater Reservoir Revealed Beneath the Great Salt Lake

University of Utah researchers used airborne electromagnetic surveys over Farmington Bay to map beneath the Great Salt Lake and found freshwater permeating sediments up to about 4 kilometers deep, indicating a substantial subsurface reservoir. The study linked reed‑filled mounds to freshwater breakthroughs and mapped the potential volume, though the full extent remains unknown and requires more surveys. If confirmed, this groundwater could help wet dust hotspots and contribute to water resources without overly perturbing the lake system.

via Yahoo|

#aerial-electromagnetic-surveys #aquifer #farmington-bay

environment7 months ago•4 min saved

Drought Drives Deep Wells and Rising Costs in Texas Hill Country

Drought has driven groundwater levels down across Hays County, forcing deeper wells and a boil-water order in Radiance after the second well dried up; as of March, 100% of the district's monitored wells are below historic levels, with many new wells tapping the confined Lower Trinity Aquifer that cannot recharge. Rainfall would need 34 inches in six months to replenish the aquifer, an unlikely scenario, driving costs up: pumping reductions (~$1,500), pump replacements (~$7,500), and drilling new wells (up to ~$75,000), with Radiance taking a $40,000 loan. While current water tests show no major hardness or bacteria spikes, drought conditions raise future risks of mineral buildup and bacterial increases, threatening long-term water reliability for Hill Country communities.

via KUT|

#drought #environment #groundwater